Dissolve device for cameras



Feb. 19, 1935. WALKER DISSOLVE DEVICE FOR CAMERAS Filed Jan. 12, 1931 INVENTOR Patented Feb. 19, 1935 1,991,530

ran STATES PATENT orrlc DISSOLVE nnvlon FOR CAMERAS Joseph E. Walker, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 12, 1931, Serial No. 508,089

4% Claims. (Cl. 88-16) This invention relates to -motion picture camgraph a given scene and then, without moving eras, and particularly to means whereby certain the camera bring a close-up of any detail of said novel efiects may be obtained by the cameraman. scene desired. Within the scope of my invention,

At the present time, it is customary to arrange I may have a dissolve effect between a wide angle 5 sequential scenes in a motion picture in such a field and the close-up so as to give a. pleasing 5 manner that one set of scenes will merge into effect to the eye of the observer. All of this is the following scene. This so-called act is usually accomplished in a manner that is simple from a performed in a laboratory. The procedure is structural standpoint and by transposition of generally as follows: The difierent cameramen lenses.

shoot the different scenes whereupon the nega- The device is simple of construction, easy to lg tives are developed and positives made therefrom, operate, will pr uc superior results w h a mini after which the sequences are properly chosen mum of time and eifort, and does not require and marked during a run of the picture, whereany particular judgement on the part of the upon the cutters will cut the film in accordance cameraman so far as the dissolve feature is conwith the sequences selected. The positive is then corned. 5

put together and we have a resultant picture. Of A device of the character about to be described course, this may be done to the negative so that could be readily utilized by amateurs and prothere will be no lapse as far as joining positives duce successful results and results as highly sat is concerned. In order to make the effect pleasisfactory as Could be a d y the most skilled ing and so that the transition should not be unphotographer. 2o duly rapid, it is customary to provide what is Other objects of the invention will be set forth known as a dissolve, that is, one picture merges as the specification proceeds, and with the obinto the other. In the actual taking of a picture, jects above mentioned and others in view, the the cameraman may take a given picture, stop invention consists in the novel and useful prothe camera, and then carry it to any new locavision, formation, construction, association, and 25 tion, whereupon the picture is continued. To do relative arrang t of parts. members, and lthis, the cameraman will possibly rewind a portures, all as disclosed in certain embodiments in tion of the negative already exposed and again h accomp nyin r w described a y, expose it to the succeeding picture so that a soand more part cu y Pointed ut in e Cla msca1leddissolve efi'ect will occur. This, of course, In the drawin 30 requires a nicety or" balance and selection on the Figure l i a fragmentary front v on OI" cl part of the cameraman, because light conditions m ra in orp i one f of h invention, may not be the same at both locations and for Figure 2 is a View On the line of Figure the further reason that he must know how much Figure 3 s eseCtiOnel V ew 011 the line 33 01 filmto rewind before again exposing it at the ure new location. or for even the same location for Figure 8 a f t vation of a'modified' form a close-up. of the invention, certain parts being shown Jag The present invention has for an object the ta ly, d, provision of means. whereby a rewinding of the Figure 5 s a al View 011 t e line 55 61' 44 negative for a portion thereof is unnecessary and Figure all where the cameraman may dissolve one picture, Referri g the drawing, Figures 1, 2 and 3 move t a ne l t and gradually bring t illustrate one .torm of the invention, and Figures new location into sharp focus from said dis- 4 and 5 a se for althoug sai forms Opel!" solve. I do not of necessity have to move to a a n id y the m p in pl n in 4,5 new location, as stated above, but I may remain te t al y the e manner. 45

upon the same location for the purpose of bring- 1 represents the usual camera housing adapted ing a close-up eiT-ect, or any other effect conto confine the usual camera mechanism, not iltemplat-ed by the invention as hereinafter more lust-rated. The film magazine is shown at 2 and definitely set forth. in all respects the camera would be the same as .30 By Way of example, it may be stated that with any type of camera now on the market, regardmy invention, I am enabled, through the use of less of make. However, I change the lens syslenses, to have a wide angle field, and likewise, tem so as to produce either a clear picture or a in the second instance, a telephoto view, both of dissolve and during the taking of the picture by which are capable of recording on a sensitized the cameraman. In order to accomplish this defilm in this manner. As an example, I may photosired result, I have secured to the housing I cer- 55 tain mechanism adapted to hold a lens system. For instance, in the illustration of Figures 1 and 2, I have shown a pair of objectives or lenses at 3 and 4. In order to secure these objectives or lenses, the mount 5 of the objective 3 has secured thereto a post 6 telescopically adjustably received within a hollow post 7 and which post in turn is secured to a sleeve 8. This sleeve 8 is rotatively mounted upon a stationary shaft 9 and which shaft is secured to the housing in any approved manner, such as illustrated at 10. The said sleeve is provided with a cam groove 11 which extends for a length of said sleeve.

Extending outwardly from the iront of the housing and substantially in parallelism with the shaft 9 is a square support 12 upon which is mounted a slide or carriage 13. This slide or carriage is provided with a tubular post 1% adapted to telescopically receive a post 15 secured to the lens mount 16 for the lens d. This post 15 is adjustable relative to the tubular post 14 through the medium of a loclr screw or the like 1'7. A handle 18 depends from the slide or carriage 13.

Carried upon the sleeve 8 is a rider l9, which rider is provided with an inwardly extending pin 20 received within the cam groove ll. and an arm 21 extends between the rider and the slide or carriage 13, whereby movement of the slide or carriage upon the square support will cause said rider to move'relatively to the sleeve 8 and rotate said sleeve due to travel of the pin 1 20 within the cam groove 11.

No particular type of lens or objective will be described, as any one skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will readily understand the optical systems employed. "in any event, when the rider with its pin is at the limit or end of the cam groove, as illustrated in Figure 2, it is intended that the two lens systems 3 and a should be in the same focal plane, or, in other words, the centers of said lenses in axial alignment. When the two lenses are in the position shown in Fig gure 2, it is intended that the conjugate focus or the two lenses should produce a clear photographic image. When the handle it is grasped and the slide or carriage moved away from the face oi. the camera, the two lenses will separate and, inasmuch, as the sleeve 8 will rotate relative to its supporting shaft, the objective or lens 3 swings transversely and away from the focal plane of the lens 4. As this progressively occurs, a gradual dissolve effect results in the photographic image. This-will continue until the lens 3 has been completely removed from the focal plane of the lens 4, at which time the lens 4 will be at the extreme of its movement, further movement being stopped by a collar 22 pinned to the shaft 9. Dotted line 23 indicates the final po. sition of the lens 4 and at this position a, clear image is again projected into the camera. "in other words, there are two positions when the image will be clear, to-wit: when the two objectives are in the full line position of Figure 2 at 3 and 4, and again when the lens 4 is in the position shown at 23, the lens 3 being shown in the dotted line position at 24. Between these two positions, there is a dissolve. The result is that a cameraman may take a given picture either with the lens 4 in itsoutermost position or at its innermost position. The cameraman may take a given scene, move the lens to dissolve leave the lens in a dissolve position, move to a new location. start filming the picture and gradually move the lens so as to bring the pimthe scene,

ture into sharp focus. As stated in the objects, the cameraman may remain on the same location and movement of the lens 4 to the dotted line position shown at 23 of Figure 2 will give a closeup of any detail desired in said scene or action, whereas the reverse position, to-wit, when the two lenses 3 and 4 are in the same focal plane a wide angle field is provided. It is thus apparent that the objects of the invention are attained by this simple mechanism and without the necessity of rewinding the negative and again shooting the picture.

(The form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 does not differ essentially from that form just described, save and except that the lens rnount shown at 3 is cut in two, as shown at 50 and 51. The lens mounts 50 and 51 are both secured to the posts 52 telescopically adjustably received within hollow posts 53, which posts are in turn fixedly secured to sleeves 54 and 55. These sleeves are spaced apart and independently mounted upon fixed shafts 56 and 5'1, the shafts being secured to the camera housing 1. As before, the lens 4 is provided and is slidable upon a square support 12 through the medium of the same mechanism as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The only difference would be that an extra arm 58 extends from the slide or carriage to a rider 59 for the sleeve 55. Cam grooves 11 are provided in the sleeves 54 and 55 the same as for the sleeve 8. When the lens 4 is moved outwardly to the dotted. line position at 60, both sleeves 54 and 55 are rotated and which rotation has caused the lenses 50 and 51 to be moved to the dotted line position shown at 61 and 62. In any event, the result accomplished by the form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 is identical with I that accomplished by the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive.

While I have shown the invention in its primary aspect, it is to be understood that'the lenses are enclosed within a suitable bellows for keeping out the light, and as a. matter of fact, the lens 3 in the showing of Figure 2, and the lenses 50 and 51 do not swing as far outwardly as indicated by the dotted lines of Figure 5 at 51 and 62; This position is an exaggeration for the purpose of clearness so' that the invention may be understood. 1

It will be borne in mind that the aggregate lenses produce a, composite picture and that any one of the lenses, when removed from cooperation with other lenses, will produce the dissolve or the fade, or such other type of pictureas'may be desired, and that the lens system as disclosed herein is an unitary arrangement with'the lenses used singly or in the combination as stated.

It is obvious that various changes-and modifications and variations may be made in practicing the invention in departure from the particular showing of the drawing and the description as given without departing from the true spirit thereof.

I claim:

' 1. In a photographic device, two objectives, means for slidably mounting one of said objectives, shiftable means supporting the second objective, and. means between the first and second means for gradually shifting the shiitably supported objective the other objective during sliding movement thereof.

2. In a photographic device, two objectives, a support, a slide mount for one of said objectives movable on said support, a rotatable sleeve, the

into and out of the focal axis of.

other objective secured to said sleeve, andmeans between the said sleeve and the first objective functioning to rotate the sleeve when the mount of the first objective is moved upon its support 5 to in turn transversely shift the second objective into the focal axis of the first objective when the first objective is in. one position and to shift the second objective out of the focal axis of the first I able upon-the other support, and means between objective during movement of the first objective 10 in one direction.

3. In a device of the character disclosed, a support, two objectives, one objective provided with a slidably supported mount for axial movement, said other objective being mounted for trans- 15 verse shifting relative to the axis of movement of the slidably supported objective produces transverse movement in the other objective.

4-. In a device of the character disclosed, two spaced apart supports, a sleeve carried on one of said supports, an objective secured to said sleeve, a second objective provided with a mount movsaid sleeve and said mount for the second objective whereby movement of said second objective in one direction rotates said sleeve to in turn shift the first objective transversely into and out of the focal axis of the second objective.

JOSEPH B. WALKER. 15 

